Connecting means for electrical conductors



June l0, 1930. P. F. WILLIAMS CONNECTING MEANS FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORSFiled July 10. 1925 ffii o n 5f @6MM Patented June l0, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL F. WILLIAMS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOG. & W. ELECTRIC SPECIALTY COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OFILLINOIS CONNECTING MEANS FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Application filed.Tuly 10, 1925.

This invention relates to connecting means for electrical conductors.

One object of the invention is to provide improved, simple, safe andreliable means whereby two releasably connected electrical conductorsmay be locked with respect to each other to prevent accidentaldisconnection of said conductors.

Another object is to provide an improved single conductor disconnectorof the inverted pothead type adapted to meet all requirements underservice conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangementshown on the accompanying sheet of drawings in which- Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal sectional view of a pothead type of singleconductor disconnector embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same arrangement; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and drawings and will be particularly pointed outin the appended claim.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that the twoelectrical conductors 10 and 11, which are electrically connectedthrough an electrical connector 12,

are res ectively received and housed by an insulatlng handle 13 and apothead insulating tube 14. One end of the electrical conductor 1lpreferabl is soldered within a thimble portion 15 o the connector 12.Said conductor also extends through a reducing bushing 16 which ismounted upon the porcelain tube 14. A rubber washer 17 is interposedbetween said bushing 16 and tube 14 and friction tape 18 is wrappedaround portions of cable and bushings 16 and 14 to form a propermechanical and weatherproof connection between said parts. Preferablythe insulating handle 13 in this instance is formed of impregnated woodwith a bakelite tube 19 on the inside thereof, the electrical conductor10 extending through said bakelite tube 19 and terminating in a threadedportion 20, which receives a metallic sleeve 21 having spring fingers 22formed at the end thereof,

Serial No. 42,652.

said sleeve 21 forming a plug which is received within the socket 23 ofthe connector 12 for forming the electrical connection between saidconductor 10 and the connector 12. Secured within the upper end of thehandle 13 and bakelite tube 19 by suitable screws 24 is an internallythreaded sleeve 25 which is adapted to be threaded upon the lowerthreaded portion 26 of the electrical connector 12, whereby the handle13 is releasably locked to the electrical connector 12 in a supportedposition in proximity to the porcelain tube 14.

As appreciated, the sleeve plug 21 forms a rreadily releasableelectrical connection between the electrical conductor 1() and theconnector 12 and in view of the fact that an inverted pothead type ofsingle conductor disconnector is used, it will be understood that unlesssome means is specifically provided for preventing accidental electricaldisconnection between the conductor 10 and the connector 12, suchdisconnection will unquestionably occur. To prevent such accidentalelectrical disconnection, safety means has been provided which safetymeans includes the threaded sleeve member or safety member 25 having aradially inwardly eX- tending flange 27 which underlies a nut 28threaded onto the threaded end 20 of the conductor 10, said nut beingengageable with said flange 27 to prevent downward or releasing movementof the conductor 10 with respect to the connector 12. As pointed outhereinabove, the safety member 25, in turn, is releasably supported bythe connector 12. In this way while the electrical conductors 10 and 11may be readily electrically connected and disconnected through theconnector 12, accidental electrical disconnection is prevented by thesimple safety means herein provided.

It will be understood that the lower end of the connector 12 is suitablysupported within the porcelain tube 14 by means, for example, of ananchor ring 29 having an interlocking relationship with prongs 30 on theconnector 12, the anchor ring being cemented as at 31 and clamped to ashoulder 32 of the tube 14 by nuts 33 and 34 which also are threaded onto the threaded portion 26 of the connector 12. Also it will bennderstood that the pothead tube 14 is filled With a suitable insulatingcompound.

I claim:

In a connecting device, the combination of a lined insulating bushingincluding a body portion having a bore therethrough, said bod;7 portionhaving an inner and outer skirt, said outer skirt extending below saidinner skirt, said inner skirt being of larger inside diameter than saidbore to provide a shoulder in said bushing, conductor extending intosaid bushing, a connector secured to said conductor and terminatingWithin said bushing, means disposed between said bushing and connectorand cooperating With said shoulder for positioning said connector, aninsulating handle having a bore there Adirough, a conductor` ext-endinginto said bore, a connector secured to said conductor, and a. membermovable With said handle and cooperable with a portion of said irstnamed connector to locl; said connectors in electrica-l vonnection, saidhandle being insertable up into said bushing to effect connectionbetween said connectors and having portions guidable by said shirts andso disposed that no access can be had to the parts of said device whensaid connectors are in connection.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of June, 1925.

vPAUL F. WILLIAMS.

